Brühl Palaces

Clemens August of Bavaria, archbishop-elector of Cologne, built Augustusburg from 1725 on the ruins of an earlier castle, and its staircase by Balthasar Neumann, finished in the 1740s in stucco marble with a painted ceiling, is among the most celebrated rococo interiors in Europe. Falkenlust, a smaller lodge a short walk through the park, was built for falconry, specifically for hunting herons with falcons, a court pastime he was devoted to; its rooms are lined with blue Delft tiles. The gardens between them are formal French parterres. UNESCO listed both in 1984. The palace was used for German state receptions until 1996.

What to look for

• The Neumann staircase - a rococo stair in stucco marble under a painted ceiling.
• Falkenlust - a small lodge built for hunting herons with falcons.
• The Delft rooms - tiled interiors in the hunting lodge.
• The formal gardens - French parterres linking the two buildings.

When to go

April to October; interiors are guided-only and the palaces close in winter, roughly December to January, and on Mondays. Gardens are open freely.

What to expect

Both palaces are guided-only with fixed times and no photography inside. They close for winter. Falkenlust is a walk of about twenty minutes through the park.

Nearby

Phantasialand is close; Cologne lies north.